Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1887-09-08
Miss Sylves ster's
Fan.

hAnCislduu YOU possess II very
remarkable fan, Miss Sylvester. Let
me know the story of III" said Lord
Cairnsforth, as they sat on the yer
anda watching the dancers gliding
about through the glass doors.
Not very pleasant story" said
Miss Sylvester, biting her lips. Il
bought it in Rome in an old curiosi-
" shop. IT was said 10 bc an uu-
lucky fan and that the last lady " ho
carried it was returning home flom
a ball and suddenly fell dead"
"And you are not afraid OF such
horrible ioyi' asked her companion.
wv hat has become OF it now!"
Miss Sylvester looked about the
room nervously. "My cousin, Van
Rens. elacr, borrowed it Of me one
night. That reminds me that ! must
get it back"
~ es; should think it was hard.
ly the thing man would want to
carry around with him. said Lord
Cairnsf,rth.
Poor Nellie Sylvester bad hcen
happy enough as the fiancc ofRens-
sclacr Van Rensselaer, until hand
some Lord Cailnsforth came around
ard was lionized by society. She
thought it would be very pleasant
to flirt with a real lord. but her lover
had taken oficnse, and after some
warm words they had parted. Nel.
lie liked her new admircr well
enough, but her heart was with the
missing, and he, 90, was eating his
heart out for her sake.
That night, as Miss Sylvester was
retiring, hurried know sounded at
her door and a servant hastily an
nounced that NJ. Van Rensselaer, s
valet wished TO see her She found
lhe man in tears. lie stammeTcd
out bis story hastily:
"You sec, Miss, when my master
came home from the ball last night,
he took this dainty fan Of yours and
kissed it, ike a mad thing; and then,
while was looking at him (he
didn't seem 90 remember that ! was
in the room). all Of a sudden he
leaned forward on the table; and
his face grew white, and when
spoke to him lie didn't answer. 7
was dreadfully frightened, but cv-
cry body was fast asleep, and by-and-
by ne came 20 himselfagain. Then.
for IL was the carly morning, Miss.
he took up bis lat again TO go out
] made bold to tell him he was not
fit, for his eyes had a wild, dazcd
look. and his checks were red, a. il
with a fever like lie muttered
something abou, Rome and Miss
Nellie aad went right on, and, oh.
Miss, I'm fearful something has
happened to him"
Here he paused, Tor Nellie had
fallen a lifcless heap uUon the car
pet
When she came TO herself again
she was lying among ihc cushions
in her dressing room and Lord
Cairnsforih vas bending over her
"I have killed him, moaned
Nellie. ole said / had, but ! did
not believe II"
She tainted again, and when the
faintirg spell was over fever and
deilrium set in For days and weeks
She thought she was wandering in
Rome with Rennic by her side. on
ly She could never reach him, never
spcak to him, never tell him how
sorry She was for what she had
done.
Lord Cairnsforlh came daily 20
ask after her, II love her, hc said.
"and think She loves me- ] should
have told her so that morning If She
bad not been taken sick
Hc pleaded TO be allowed 90 sec
her tiil bis request was granted.
Atlast one afternoon when the
sunlight came io through the open
window, the white face stirred
lccl'v rpon dc pillows anl he